Fix My Street service launched in Harrogate

Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) is encouraging people across the district to use its new FixMyStreet service - a one-stop shop for reporting common street problems

the council needs to address.

FixMyStreet is a national map based application which helps people inform local authorities of issues needing their attention, such as reporting things which are broken, dirty, damaged, dumped, and need fixing, cleaning or clearing.

HBC has now incorporated this fault-reporting technology onto its own website, allowing it to receive notifications of issues directly and speed up response times.

By visiting http://fix.harrogate.gov.uk, or by using the application which is downloadable to smart phones and tablets, people can register problems which the council needs to know about such as graffiti, fly tipping, littering, dog fouling, damaged signs, faulty street lights, broken paving slabs, potholes, damaged playground equipment and overgrown footpaths.

Enter a nearby postcode, or street name and area, locate the problem on the map, provide details of the issue and the information is sent to the appropriate service for their attention. Should the problem be the responsibility of North Yorkshire County Council – such as road and pavement defects – the report will be sent to this authority to progress.

Council Leader Coun Richard Cooper said: “We want to make it easier for people to report council-related problems in the community, so that we can address them as a priority. The national FixMyStreet service has been an immense success, and by localising it by adapting it for our own website, we can ensure that we can further improve on the excellent service the council provides.

“FixMyStreet is incredibly easy to use. It takes away any uncertainty of who people should contact as the report will be sent directly to the appropriate service whose job it is to fix it.

“As the application is available on smart phones (as well as tablets and home computers), issues can be reported as soon as they are discovered rather than having to wait until you get home.

“Concerned residents also have the opportunity to attach images to clearly show the problem, allowing the council to identify exactly what action is required.

“Each report will be published on the council’s website, creating an archive of what has been repaired and what is still a problem within the whole district. I believe FixMyStreet is a useful tool which will help us to address the problems which are of importance to the community.”